Napoli is Rangers' difference-maker

Published 4:00 am, Tuesday, October 25, 2011

When Rangers general manager Jon Daniels is asked about one of his most important acquisitions last winter, he begins by crediting others.

"Our scouts did a very good job, very thorough," he said.

Sometimes, it's the smallest moves that end up making some of the most noise, and that's how his trade for Mike Napoli has turned out.

This postseason has become Napoli's personal stage. And it's not just about offense, either.

In Game 5 of the 2011 World Series on Monday night, it was his two-run eighth-inning double that broke a tie game and lifted the Rangers to a 4-2 victory in front of 51,459 at Rangers Ballpark.

Wait, there's more. When Allen Craig ran from first on a 3-2 pitch in the top of the ninth, Napoli threw him out after Albert Pujols struck out, then celebrated by turning and yelling into his own dugout.

"I was just excited," he said.

No kidding. Plenty of people are excited for him, and a franchise that won one lousy playoff game in its first 38 seasons of existence is on the threshold of winning the World Series.

Texas Rangers' Mike Napoli hits a two-run double during the eighth inning of Game 5 of baseball's World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals Monday, Oct. 24, 2011, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Ran on: 10-25-2011
Mike Napoli's two-run double in the eighth inning put the Rangers ahead for good in Texas' 4-2 win in Game 5.
Ran on: 10-25-2011
Mike Napoli's two-run double in the eighth inning puts the Rangers ahead for good. less

Texas Rangers' Mike Napoli hits a two-run double during the eighth inning of Game 5 of baseball's World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals Monday, Oct. 24, 2011, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Charlie ... more

"We want to play our game," he said. "If it's not good enough, we'll come back and try again in Game 7."

If the Rangers win it, it'll be because a bunch of young pitchers took gigantic steps forward, because Michael Young and Josh Hamilton and others had impact seasons and because Washington expertly made the pieces fit.

And it'll be because Napoli - who was shipped out of Anaheim after hitting .238 last season - had the best season of his career.

Almost no one raised an eyebrow when Daniels acquired the 29-year-old from the Blue Jays for reliever Frankie Francisco. If the Rangers finish this thing, that trade will be mentioned again and again as evidence that Daniels might be baseball's best general manager.

Daniels began his pursuit of Napoli with a series of telephone calls to then-Angels general manager Tony Reagins, who was looking to move Napoli, in part, because Angels manager Mike Scioscia didn't like his defensive work. And there was that .238 batting average. But Reagins didn't want to trade Napoli to a division rival and have him come back and haunt the Angels. Instead, he shipped him to the Blue Jays.

As soon as the Blue Jays acquired Napoli, Daniels made his move. It was a curious move for a team that had lost Cliff Lee in free agency and was thought to be shopping for pitching. Besides that, it was unclear how Napoli fit in with the Rangers since they had Yorvit Torrealba established behind the plate, Mitch Moreland at first and Young at designated hitter.

Among the many smart things Washington did this summer was rotate his players and keep them fresh. Napoli made 57 starts behind the plate, 27 at first base and 18 at designated hitter. Napoli got 369 at-bats and made the most of them by hitting .320 with 30 home runs 75 RBIs. That production has carried over into a World Series in which he has two home runs and nine RBIs in just 13 at-bats.

He was a nice fit in other ways. He brings a workmanlike attitude, and on a team that prides itself on competing every night for all nine innings, it felt like he'd been around forever.

"He came as advertised as far as power and on-base percentage," Washington said. "I've always admired the way he received. He's certainly knows how to play baseball. He was taught well."

Washington dropped him from seventh to eighth this week to split up his left-handed hitters, David Murphy and Moreland. He explained the move, telling him it was best for the team.

Napoli delivered almost immediately, hitting a three-run home run to break open Game 4.

On Monday night, he stepped to the plate with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth inning. He won this game by hitting a double into the right-center alley off Cardinals reliever Marc Rzepczynski to score two runs. He then showed up to the postgame interview room wearing a camouflage shirt and revealing arms covered in tattoos.

"I'm glad I can help contribute," he said. "Anybody in this lineup can win it. We all do it together."

Hitting eighth?

"It doesn't matter to me. It's a team thing. Whatever Wash wants me to do, I'm going to do. It's a team thing."

Everything is clicking for the Rangers. They rallied from a 2-0 deficit against Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter, and with their own No. 1 guy, C.J. Wilson, lasting only 5 1/3 innings, Washington used four relievers to get him to the finish line.

"We know what's at stake," Young said. "We'll just go out and compete. That's what we do."

Rangers 4, Cardinals 2: The Rangers come from behind in Game 5 to take a 3-2 lead in the World Series. B3